Complexities in the Judgement of School Effectiveness∗

∗ I am grateful to Bert Creemers, Harvey Goldstein, Peter Mortimore, Sally Thomas and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper and to Ros Marsh for her patient word processing.

ABSTRACT

This article examines the aims and goals of school effectiveness research and definitions of effectiveness. Five issues in school effectiveness research which are relevant to the development of better methods of judging and measuring relative effectiveness, drawing on evidence from studies in different countries and contexts, are reviewed. These are (1) size and significance of effects; (2) consistency across outcomes; (3) stability over time; (4) the long term effects of schools; and (5) differential effects for different student groups.

It is concluded that effectiveness is best regarded as a relative concept dependent upon time period and age groups studied, and the choice of educational outcomes and intake measures

∗ I am grateful to Bert Creemers, Harvey Goldstein, Peter Mortimore, Sally Thomas and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper and to Ros Marsh for her patient word processing.

Notes

∗ I am grateful to Bert Creemers, Harvey Goldstein, Peter Mortimore, Sally Thomas and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper and to Ros Marsh for her patient word processing.